Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Author of genus is
Hübner, 1819
Numbers
6 species found in North America north of Mexico are recognized in Cong et al. (2020)
(1):
Junonia coenia Hübner, [1822]
Junonia grisea Austin & Emmel, 1998
Junonia neildi Brévignon, 2004
Junonia nigrosuffusa Barnes & McDunnough, 1916
Junonia stemosa Grishin, 2020
Junonia zonalis Felder & Felder, 1867
2 species formerly listed are now regarded as extralimital north of Mexico
(1):
Junonia evarete (Cramer, 1779) - with the elevation of subspecies nigrosuffusa and zonalis to full species, there are no subspecies of evarete found north of Mexico.
Junonia genoveva (Cramer, 1780) - with the elevation of subspecies neildi to full species, there are no subspecies of genoveva found north of Mexico.Food
For most species larval hosts are in the plant families Verbenaceae, Plantaginaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, and other mostly related families. A few, such as Junonia genoveva are limited to one or a few species of plants, but most Junonia will accept numerous species within these related plant families.
Remarks
Classification of taxa in the genus
Junonia occurring in North America was revised in Cong et al. (2020)
(1). This revision is followed here at BugGuide. It is unclear how universally those findings have been accepted. The notes from prior to this publication are preserved below:
Opler and Warren (2003 with later additions) is listed as the reference followed for the classification of Butterflies used here on BugGuide. In this publication the Mangrove Buckeye is
Junonia genoveva, the Tropical Buckeye is
Junonia evarete, and the Common Buckeye is
Junonia coenia. This is following - Lamas, G. 2004: 'Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera'. Checklist: Part 4A Hesperoidea & Papilionoidea.
This is also the classification followed in many recent treatments, including:
etc.
There has been a lot of confusion due to the switching back and forth of the usage of the names Junonia genoveva and Junonia evarete, and most of the photographs up to date on BugGuide were switched from current usage due to this confusion, and the resultant fact that many field guides have backwards or confused treatments as well. Hopefully the Lamas treatment will be the final word, and things won't keep switching back and forth!
[comment 11-10-08, David J. Ferguson]
Sex differences: "Buckeye males and females look similar, but females usually have a somewhat different pattern toward the outer margin of the hind wings, with light areas usually better developed. Also, there is a tendency for females to have larger eye spots on the wings than males. Males are much more likely to have white antennae." Comment by
David J. Ferguson,